Seeking social media stardom for their underage daughters, mothers post images of them on Instagram. The accounts draw men sexually attracted to children, and they sometimes pay to see more.
The ominous messages began arriving in Elissa’s inbox early last year.
“You sell pics of your underage daughter to pedophiles,” read one. “You’re such a naughty sick mom, you’re just as sick as us pedophiles,” read another. “I will make your life hell for you and your daughter.”
Elissa has been running her daughter’s Instagram account since 2020, when the girl was 11 and too young to have her own. Photos show a bright, bubbly girl modeling evening dresses, high-end workout gear and dance leotards. She has more than 100,000 followers, some so enthusiastic about her posts that they pay $9.99 a month for more photos.
Over the years, Elissa has fielded all kinds of criticism and knows full well that some people think she is exploiting her daughter. She has even gotten used to receiving creepy messages, but these — from “Instamodelfan” — were extreme. “I think they’re all pedophiles,” she said of the many online followers obsessed with her daughter and other young girls.
Elissa and her daughter inhabit the world of Instagram influencers whose accounts are managed by their parents. Although the site prohibits children under 13, parents can open so-called mom-run accounts for them, and they can live on even when the girls become teenagers.
“I think they’re all pedophiles,” she said of the many online followers obsessed with her daughter and other young girls
But you didn’t stop posting pictures to the account?
Ding! Which means the person is low key pimping their child out.
“But she’s been doing this so long now,” she said. “Her numbers are so big. What do we do? Just stop it and walk away?”
Money.
Simply ban all pictures of children and that’s it. There is no good reason to post pictures of your child for the public to see. At the very least, you should be required to censor any faces.
Also, you’re definitely exploiting your child if you keep some of the money these perverts pay.
Also the internet is forever.
Future employers are probably going to see those photos. I’m not sure how I’d respond, as a manager… but like, their future bosses are going to know their mom slung photos of them as a kid.
And that’s just not something I want to know happens (nevermind actually happens,) and it’s definitely not something I want to know about a specific employee
Yes, I totally agree with you. Looking back my biggest achievement online is probably not having any hits today when searching my name. To this day you’d only find a rather empty LinkedIn profile with no picture and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Jesus Tap Dancing Christ. How could you pimp out your daughter like that? How could you sleep at night knowing that grown men are jerking off to pictures of your child!!??? I feel like I am going to need three back to back showers after reading this.
Shit like this is exactly why if I ever have kids I’m not posting anything about them online.
